KPMG Australia COO Eileen Hoggett Steps Down as NSW Seeks Answers in Client Data Leak Scandal
Updated
Updated · Reuters · Jun 3
KPMG Australia COO Eileen Hoggett Steps Down as NSW Seeks Answers in Client Data Leak Scandal
3 articles · Updated · Reuters · Jun 3
Summary
Eileen Hoggett resigned as KPMG Australia’s chief operating officer on Wednesday after being directly named in whistleblower allegations that client information was misused to help win audit contracts.
KPMG said Hoggett will remain an audit partner while a new external investigation by law firm Allens examines the claims and the firm’s handling of the original internal probe.
Her exit follows the recent resignations of KPMG Australia’s CEO and head of audit over the mishandling of that earlier investigation, which had said the allegations were unsubstantiated.
NSW Treasury has demanded assurances on KPMG’s handling of confidential information, a list of active state contracts and details of whether staff under investigation are working on them.
The case has widened scrutiny of Australia’s professional-services sector ahead of a June 19 parliamentary hearing, echoing the fallout from PwC’s 2023 confidential-information scandal.